Solve a Problem

(8.) Step Up and Solve a Problem

We are all good at doing something. There is something that you are really good at doing. I’m sure your son, daughter, wife, husband or just any other family member must have complimented you at how good you are at doing a given task, job or activity. Remember how thankful they were after you helped them solve a problem?

That’s who we are; innovators, smart people, hard working and dedicated, a generation of people that believes that never say never – it can’t be done...because there is always a way! That is the spirit that transcends all.

How we solved a problem posed by a cheetah

I am living in jungles of East Africa where wild life is always hazardous and a real threat for the inhabitants. We live like a family and mostly depend upon hunting for food. One day we were hunting in pairs and passing through the forest as we hunted for birds.

Suddenly, my mate screamed and once I turned, I could see a wild cheetah knocking him down. The abruptness and speed of the attack put me in a precarious situation whereby I was unable to shoot the cheetah without possibly shooting my mate was under his paws, furiously bleeding.

In a matter of minutes, he was injured and bleeding severely. The cheetah left the place after my aerial and ground shots directed at their direction. My mate could not survive and met his final destiny. The Same incident happened after few days later with yet another hunting party.

This cheetah was a real threat for our survival in the area and restricted our freedom to move around. Then we decided to hunt the cheetah first. We made four pairs and sat on top of trees. We planted three dummy men like statues at certain distance from each other. We then waited for the cheetah to show up and take an attempt on dummy statues.

Unfortunately for us, the cheetah did not show up that day. Next three days passed like that but we could not spot the beast. One fine morning, once we were deployed to our respective places, we saw the beast stealthily approaching a statue. All parties were alerted by our friend who was expert in birds’ voices.

The cheetah came close to the target and jumped to grab it. That was the moment we all at once took aim from our safe hideout on top of the trees and fired shots. The cheetah was hit by two bullets and this made him yell loudly. The beast was real furious and attacked the statue as if all hell fell on him from there. He died after about ten minutes. After killing the tiger, we again resumed our routine activities in the jungle. Though we killed the beast, every time we go into the forest, we still remember our comrades who died at the hands of the cheetah.

By: Jeff

Do you have a great tip on how to solve a problem? Why not share your experience on how to solve a problem you've dealt with in the past by clicking on the link to submit your tip or story

how is critical thinking used to solve a problem

How about you take that attitude and solve a problem that you, your family, organization or community is having. Now bear in mind that we all know that if you want to stand out from other employees at work it takes more than just following orders at work. However, if you can come up with a new way to do something more quickly or in a less expensive manner this shows you have initiative. Today's companies consider this innovation.

The first thing you must do to solve a problem though is to identify it. This take observation, say the #3 machine is running a bit slow today. You must go over and watch that machine run and see what is slowing it down. You discover one of the belts needs to be replaced. Now if no one took the initiative to observe the problem then a solution would not have been discovered.

Sometimes you realize though that the design of a product is flawed. This keeps it from doing what it is supposed to. To solve this you have to rework the design. If you do this with no one telling you to, this shows initiative.

Now are you starting to get the picture?

If you see that a process can be done in 3 steps instead of 4, and through this it shaves time off of production schedules, you will get a reputation for being innovative. You will definitely stand out by finding ways a company can save time producing its products.

In today's job market everyone needs to take care of their jobs. This means they need to show more initiative.

You have probably already realized this whether you understood how or not. So now you might just comprehend how to get yourself noticed at work in a positive way. Take the lead and find new, faster, less expensive way for the business to operate. Your bosses will notice.

Common cooking problems and solutions

We all eat food. The problem is that not everyone can have a home cooked meal done every day. That's not entirely true. I've got a strategy for those that are extremely busy, working or just can't seem to find the time to have a great home cooked meal.

This is my strategy for all of you out there that just can't figure out how to have enough time to cook a meal, and have it on your plate ready to eat. Now, it's not just cooking in a crock-pot or buying fast cooked food. There's a process that needs to be done, if you want the best stuff, done, and ready for later.

First, the purchaseWhat I usually do is have a set amount of time to go shopping during the week. I schedule this beforehand, and make a list of all the ingredients needed for my meals. If you have to buy chicken, beef or any other meat try and buy it the day that you cook or sometime soon. You want the freshest ingredients (buying from the butcher is even better). Now, when you buy the seasonings, you can opt for the pre-made stuff, and buying fresh vegetables is ideal as well.

Then, the preparationWhen you go to work for 8-14 hours a day, cooking later is really a long drawn out process, and most people probably would rather just make some microwave meal, and then pass out on the couch watching TV. This can be avoided by preparing the ingredients, cutting, storing in various containers, and having it ready when you are ready to cook.

You can usually have the meat (pre-sliced if necessary) in a bag with various blends of spices or a marinade for at least 24 hours, so doing it first when waking up would be advisable. At this time you could make yourself a salad for work, and/or bring some carrots or ranch with you for a quick and healthy snack.

Now, when you get home from work, your job will be simply turning on the oven or skillet, and cooking the food at the designated temperatures (meat thermometer ideal). Since everything is already is already prepared, you can steam your vegetables or make a quick salad, and your meal should be ready in no time. So, set up your plates if you have finished your salad, and then start eating.

When you're done eating, you can simply put your plates in the sink with some soap, and let them soak overnight or if you have a dishwasher just use that, and your job is done. What you'll realize is that once you have done all of this, cooking doesn't have to be one long drawn out process, and is actually easy once you use your time effectively. If you have any dishes when you wake up, clean them up for later, and then you'll be ready for another great home cooked meal.